Don’t Get Sucked In by Vanity Metrics
Let’s be honest: marketing dashboards can look impressive. Graphs going up and to the right. Big engagement numbers. A post that “went viral.” Cue the dopamine.
But if you’ve ever stared at all those colorful charts and thought, “Wait… is this actually helping us grow?” you’re not alone.
Too often, businesses get distracted by vanity metrics—numbers that feel good but don’t necessarily tie back to business goals. Think likes, impressions, page views, or followers. These might signal awareness, but on their own, they’re not proof your marketing is working.
As a seasoned marketer, I can tell you this: the smartest companies keep their eye on outcomes, not optics.
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
First, a Quick Word on Vanity Metrics
Vanity metrics are those numbers that can make a campaign look like a win, even when it’s not moving the business forward. They include:
- Post likes and social media followers
- Page views
- Email open rates (without considering clicks or conversions)
- Impressions or reach
Now, are these numbers completely useless? No. They can help you spot trends, test ideas, and measure brand awareness. But if you're reporting on marketing success and leading with these? That’s a red flag.
They’re surface-level. And surface-level metrics lead to surface-level strategies.
KPIs That Actually Matter
If you're serious about growth, you need to track metrics that align with revenue, customer acquisition, and retention. Here are the KPIs that deserve your attention:
1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
How much are you spending to acquire a new customer?
This number tells you how efficient your marketing really is. Take your total marketing spend over a period of time and divide it by the number of new customers acquired during that period. Lower is better, provided it’s not coming at the cost of quality.
Formula:
Total marketing spend ÷ # of new customers = CAC
2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
How much revenue does the average customer bring in over the life of their relationship with your business?
This helps you determine how much you should be willing to spend to acquire a customer, and whether your current efforts are sustainable.
Why it matters:
If your CAC is higher than your CLV, you’ve got a serious problem, even if your ad impressions are through the roof.
3. Conversion Rate (CR)
What percentage of people take the action you want: buy something, sign up, book a call, etc.?
Whether it’s a landing page, email campaign, or paid ad, this is where the rubber meets the road. High impressions and low conversions? You’ve got attention, but not persuasion.
4. Marketing-Qualified Leads (MQLs)
Not all leads are created equal. MQLs are those prospects who’ve taken specific actions that signal real interest, not just downloaded a freebie or clicked on an ad by accident.
Tracking MQLs keeps your pipeline clean and focused on leads more likely to convert.
5. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
For every dollar you spend on ads, how much revenue are you generating?
Formula:
Revenue from ads ÷ Cost of ads = ROAS
This is a core metric for paid campaigns. Here’s a couple of simple benchmarks to keep in mind. A ROAS under 1 means you’re spending more than you're getting back, yikes. Typically, a ROAS of 3 is break-even, and anything north of that is the sweet spot.
6. Revenue Attribution
Do you know which channels drive revenue?
Attribution helps you understand which campaigns, platforms, or strategies warrant a larger budget, and which to pause or sunset. Tools like Google Analytics 4, HubSpot, or even simple UTM tracking links can help you map the customer journey more clearly.
A Final Thought: Clarity Beats Clout
There’s nothing wrong with celebrating reach or impressions; they have their place. But don’t confuse visibility with value. The real win is knowing your marketing is contributing to actual business outcomes.
So, the next time you’re reviewing your marketing dashboard, ask yourself, “Is this metric helping me make better decisions?”
If the answer is no, move it down the list. Focus on the numbers that bring clarity, not clout.
Want help building a dashboard that actually matters?
Let’s cut the fluff and create a data-driven strategy that’s built for growth, not applause.